Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-29
CONFEDERATE SHOES.
GROTESOUE EXPEDIENTS RESORTEO
TO DURING THE CIVIL WAR.

A Wooden Shoe One of the First In
acy-Woo9en Bottoms in General Use.
Material fer Uppers.
The dearth of leather also drove the people
10 all sorts Of grotesque expedients Sole
leather, especially, owing to the difficulty
which the small tanneres experienced in its
production, was extremely scarce Wood,
which had long been worn to a limited ex-
tent by the slaves in some localities, now
rame into general use in the making of shoes.
A wooden shoe was among the very first IN
ventions patented under the Confederate
government In the beginning consider
hble variety of shapes prevailed Some could
10 no better than dig out rude wooden
receptacle for the foot, a travesty on the
sabot worn by the French peasants, a strip of
leather being attached to the top by means of
which the clog was secured TO the ankle. But
by far the best and most comfortable style,
and one which was adopted whenever the adj
hitional leather required was to be had, was a
simple sole of ash, willow or some light wood,
to which full leather uppers were fastened
with tacls At first these were SO thick, in
order to insure durability, that among their
various b'iicf eiIectS was lDaU Oh aGubiS Yer
sensihly to the stature OF the community.
Later on it was found letter to make the
sole and protect them from wearing
by their bottoms light irons, SINH
a horseshoe. They are nece5-
c shoes ever worn, announc-
II OF their weaTerS at 4 good
when the air was clear and
IL, zen ono was by this means
kept ,rised of The movements of his
immediate rcighbors. Especially did their
teiltac chatter make them the abomination of
tie negro in his nocturnal rambaS. To the
disnay Of nervous people and careful house
wives, their effect indoors was something ter
rifle, though after irons came into vogue and
icssened the impacting surface the clatter
WAS toned down to something under the
tramp Of q horse. Nor were they much less
destructive TO floors, while carpets simply did
not exist in their wake. Despite the scrub
bing and securing Of a quarter century, their
marks are yet to be seen III some houses.
USE OF WOODEN BOTTOMS.
The use of wooden bottoms for shoes was
by no means confined TO the negroes They
were worn by the majority Of laboring peo-
pie, as well rs by many Of both sexes who
had been reared in afiluence. The scarcity of
the last winter Of the war drove families into
them, except the little feet which could not
be trusted TO steer such craft, but bore their
share of martyrdom by being imprisoned
throughout the liveloHg dreary months.
Great skill and caution were requisite to
keep afoot i'll wooden bottoms at all. \ queer
spectacle it was, too, TO see ones fellow beings
stepping gingerly around, as if there were
universal misgivings as to the safeness Of the
earth's crust One may forget his first feat
with firearms and oven his exploit Oh skates
but never his first fight on-or, 20 lie accu-
rate his first abduction by wooden bottoms.
Ii the soles, which, in a clumsy attempt to fit
the foot were shaped like rockers, were once
set in motion, they persisted in inexorably
fitting one forward, especially in descending
a bill, till volition was utterly lost, and moth
ing short Of an ascent or a fall could arrest
them. However, in time they became com
paratively manageable, one getting able to
choose his own path, as well as to have some
small voice in stoppages.
Uppar5 We're made Of such random pieces
of leather, or of anything bearing the faint
est semblance of leather. as could be lighted
on. Carriage curtains and buggy tops were
acceptable. In some cases old morocco
pocketbookS We're converted into childron's !
shoes, while many ladies managed to fashion
themselves Il sort of moccaSin out of the !
lncst heterogeneous and unpromising mate |
rials. Woe to the careless wight who suf- |
fered his saddled horse to stand out near the |
church, store or postofiicc after nightfall! |
The chances We're that when he went to |
mount he would find that some one had APP |
propriafod his saddle .kirts for sole leather, |
unless he had forstalled such an act by APP |
propriating them to that end hinlself-At- /
lantic Monthly.